Container Brewing Ltd: Frostbite Cold IPA

Container Brewing Ltd: Frostbite Cold IPA Review

If you are a lover of hops (like I am), but find that just sometimes you want that hoppy beer to be a bit more sessionable and lighter-bodied than your average West Coast or Hazy IPA, then the Cold IPA style might be of interest to you.

What is a Cold IPA you ask? It’s an  IPA that is fermented at lower temperatures than what is used to ferment an IPA and often uses a blend of lager and ale yeast. The grain bill is similar to that of a lager (pilsner, corn, rice) purposely chosen to allow the hops to take charge. And the hops? They become the star of this style. Rather than using traditional Noble hops as most lager styles do, this style prefers the use of the bold, citrusy and tropical ones. And to give these hops that extra push, dry hopping is done during fermentation and then sometimes after. What does this all give you? The body and colour should be light,  and the aroma/nose will be fruit, tropical, and citrusy, and overall this beer should be crisp, clean, and with a dry finish.

Every brewery releasing a Cold IPA has its own take on it, with Container Brewing being no different. With their version, they used Yakima Chief Citra and Simcoe fresh hops that were flash frozen on harvest day as well as some cyro hops (hops that are extra concentrated!).

This beer pours a clear, light golden yellow with an off-white head that slowly dissipates. The first sip has some light biscuity malt and then the hop bitterness and aroma of citrus take the lead. The body is light with the overall mouthfeel being slightly bitter (in a good hoppy way), dry, and crisp. The Citra and Simcoe hops shine through providing a nice blend of citrus, tropical, and a hint of dankness. I have had quite a few Cold IPAs and I have to say that this is one of my favourites to date. It’s refreshing and very sessionable and does not skimp on flavour. A great beer for these hot summer days.